Nighty Night Bird Brains

Every evening as the sun retreats from the sky,
we head to the barn and begin our tuck-in chores.


The horses and donkeys get their last meal of hay for the day.


The pigs get their chow and a little hay for the night.


We scoop poop and make sure everyone has enough water for the night.

Then we head up to the chicken houses in search of three wayward turkeys...
who still have not learned to return home in the evening.

Last night Ethel had decided to roost on the roof of the goats' run-in shed.


Tom and Fred had settled in on the goat fence.


Hoping that Ethel might hop down and follow them, Hubbs began walking the boys
down to the barn and into their yard.


Ethel did not follow suit.
Instead she hunkered down and resigned herself to a night spent alone.


We couldn't leave her there...
for safety sake and also to reinforce that nights are to be spent at home.
So, Hubbs climbed the ladder and chased her off the roof.

While he accompanied Ethel home to the turkey yard,
I closed the front doors to the henhouses.


The last house to be closed was this one...
whose occupants are notorious partiers and usually have to be reminded of curfew!


Last, but not least... the sheep get their nightly allotment of hay...
and by that time it was quite dark.

It's pretty much the same around here every evening...
which is partially why we spend so many evenings at home.
It's a commitment...but one that we gladly accept.

For all of the work that it takes to keep this many animals...
they repay us many times over in joy!

Yesterday took me away for several hours....
to spend in the company of this little one.


I knitted her hat while she napped.
She wasn't terribly impressed...
and quickly removed it.

Comments

colleen said…
Ethel, you crazy Bird!! How long does it take to do evening chores? What a good way to end the day. Nice hat, Mackenzie!!
Bee Haven Bev said…
It usually takes about a half hour....longer if the turkeys don't cooperate!!
Oh yeah, that looks like a party house!
This N That said…
I'm sure there is always some interesting variation in your chores...Silly birds..Cute hat..Sorry it didn't go over too well..She'll get used to it when it becomes "hat season"..I appreciate them when it's cold even though I am not a fan of hats...Have a nice day..xxoo